brighty89

This is a question from my girlfriend.

She has just moved to NYC for a 12 month internship. How does she sign up to a health care provider? Are they like GP's over here?

Bob

Check her insurance company website, should have a search where you plonk in your zip code and you then get a list of doctors covered by insurance, then ring them up to see who is taking on new patients.

PCP, Primary Care Physician = GP.

penguinsix

Here is a basic primer on US health insurance that might help:

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Health_Insurance

The biggest problem is that internships generally don't offer health care as part of the package. She's going to need to sort this out with her HR department asap and if not, she'll have to enter the independent (i.e. non-employer paid) sector to find insurance which can be a bit more daunting.

MsElui

if she does have insurance cover - then make sure she understands the difference between in and out of network and chose a providor that is IN network to her insurance- will mean more is covered.

she should be able to go to her inurers website- bung in a zip code and find the local ones. I would ask around her colleagues/neighbours/firiends/ for a recomendation too.


some insurers also require you to choose a primary care provider up front - and then you need referals from that pre chosen provider for any other medical services. Failure to get the refereal can mean bill is not paid.